Safety pin



Jan. 20, 1953 J. E. SAMPSON I 2,625,724 SAFETY PIN Filed Oct. 16, 1950INVENTOR. JULIAN E. SAMPSON AT QRNEY Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY PIN Julian E. Sampson, St. Louis, Mo.

Application October 16, 1950, Serial No. 190,386

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the so-called safety pins. It is an object ofmy invention to provide a safety pin that is more safe to use withoutsacrificing any of the advantages afforded by the safety pin now ingeneral use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a safety pin whose pointis always shielded unless forcibly held open.

A further object of my invention is to provide a safety pin that wouldnot prove dangerous if, by accident, it would be swallowed by an infant.

These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appearwill be best understood from a description of the embodiments thereofshown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my safety pin in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the hinged portion of the pin in openposition.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the pin taken substantially on line 33 inFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the pin taken substantially on line 44 inFig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the pin taken substantially on line 55 inFig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with a portion broken way and showinga modification of the invention.

My safety pin as shown in Fig. 1 has a pair of relatively stiffnon-magnetic wire arms l and I l and one end of each arm is formed withan eye l2l3 respectively through which a rivet I4 is passed to form ahinge. The outer end of arm I l is provided with a point l while theouter end of arm I0 is provided with a latch l6 under which the point I5is latched against outward movement.

A pair of magnets I 8 and I9 with opposing poles are secured to the arms10 and H, respectively, by non-magnetic clips 20 and 2|. The magnets l8and I9 tend to hold the arms l0 and II in closed position. The sidewalls of nonmagnetic clip 20 re extended as at 22 and 23 and act asguides for magnet 19 as the arms [0 and II are moved from open to closedposition. Clip 20 snugly encases the eyes l2 and I3 and is held by rivetl4. Clip 20 is flared as at 24 to form an abutment for limiting theopening movement of arm H as shown in Fig. 2.

To open my pin enough force must be exerted on the arms l0 and H toovercome the pull of the magnets I8 and I9 and when the arms arereleased the magnets l8-l9 bring the arms to closed position as shown inFig. 1 with the point I5 lying in the depression 25 that is provided in2 the outer surface of latch l6 and is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

To lock my pin, pressure is applied to arm II to force the pointed endl5 under the lips 26 of the skirt portion of the latch 16. It will beseen that since the magnets l8 and I9 are abutting as in Fig. 1 the armll must bend between the magnet l9 and the point l5. When the pressureon arm II is released the arm II will straighten and the pointed endwill rest in either recess 29 or 30 of the latch [6.

Fig. 6 shows a modification of my invention in which the arms 10a andIla are formed to abut as at 35 when the arms are in closed position. Aspring 36 under tension embraces the hinged ends of arms Illa and Ilaand is held in place by the clip or guard 31. The clip 31 is flared asat 38 to limit the opening movement of arm Ila.

The spring 36 has the same function as the magnet above described inthat it returns the arms Illa and Ila from open position to closedposition.

The invention may be modified in various respects as will occur to thoseskilled in the art and the exclusive use of all modifications as comewithin the scope of the appended claim is contemplated.

I claim:

In a safety pin, a pair of arms hinged together at one end, one beingpointed, a latch on the outer end of the other arm, a, recess in theouter surface of said latch for shielding the point of said pointed armwhen said arms are in normally closed position and magnets attached tosaid arms for holding said pointed arm in position in said recess.

JULIAN E. SAMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 357,891 Bailey Feb. 15, 1887389,037 Wilkinson Sept. 4, 1888 842,600 Willis Jan. 29, 1907 913,560Pittman Feb. 23, 1909 2,145,313 Morley Jan. 31, 1939 2,246,495 AlessiJune 24, 1941 2,297,806 Smith Oct. 6, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 395,459 France Dec. 28, 1908 662,385 France Mar. 19, 1929

